Elevated-railway superstructure and car-truck



. (No Modl.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

j E. s. SHAW. BLEVATBD RAILWAY SUPBRSTRUGTURB AND GAR TRUCK. Nn. 353,086. Patented Nov.- 23, 1886` Wz'n sgg.; I r11/enter,

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2'.

- E. S. SHAW.- ELEYVATED RAILWAY SUPERSTRUGTURE AND GAR TRUCK.

'Patented Nov. 23, 1886.

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Invenor,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. s. SHAW.

BLBVATED RAILWAY SUPERSTRUGTURE AND GAR TRUCK. No. 353,086. Patented Nov. 23, 1886` T T T Inventor,

UNITEDv STATES s PATENT OFFICE..

EDWARD s. sHAw, or cVAMBRiDe'E, MAssAoHUsErrs.

ELEVATED-RAILWAY/SUPRSTRUCTURE AND CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,086, dated November 23, 1886.

\ Application filed January 20, 1886. Serial No.189,139. (No modcLl To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex4 and State of Massachusetts, have'invented a new and useful Improvement in Elevated-Railway Su-` perstructures, and iu Gar-,Trucks to be Used Upon .the Same, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates t-o the class of elevatedrailway structures in which the principal bearing or track rails are situated on the outside of and below the top of the longitudinal supporting girder or girders; and it consists, principally, in supporting the said track-rails upon brackets or cantilevers attached to the web or web members of the girders and projecting transversely therefrom, so that the railsmay be placed near to, but not directly upon, the outer and upper edges of the girders.

It consists,a'lso, in the combination of a pair of flanged plates or shapes of metal attached to the transverse beams or transoms of car or locomotive trucks used upon the structure level of the track-rails, in order to preventv derailment or overturning arising from windpressure, centrifugal force, collisions, Src., substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

It consists, also, in the combination of a pair of guard-rails attached to the outer'and upper edges of the girders with a flanged guard attached to the trucks of cars or locomotives moving upon the structure, in order to prevent derailment or overturning arising from wind-pressure, centrifugal force, collisions,'&c.

It consists, moreover, in the method of attaching the said truclcguard to the car-trucks, Aand yin the construction and arrangement of the car-trucks to this end, so that in Acase of accident the truck-guard may confine the trucks to the structure, while in ordinary use of the rolling-stoel; the truck-guard shall embodying the first and second part of my invention, the planes of section of the truck being taken on the lines x x' and y y inFig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and sectional view of the truck. Fig.3 is a sectional view ofthe superstructure of a narrow-gage railway for a light traffic, operated by electricity; and Fig. 4 is a sidevelevation of the same, these ii'gures showing the form and manner of attachment of the electrical conductor. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a superstructure of wood embodying the principle ofmy inventiomand Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same. In Figs. 3 and 5 the wheels and truck-guards 'are shown by dotted lines. Fig; 7 is a plan of the superstructure at. a turnout from the main line. Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views of the same, the sections being taken on the lines zr x and y y', 1espect.ively,the three latter iigures showing the general arrangement and modifications of the structure to be used at a turnout or crossing. -Fig. 10 is a section through the bolster, transoms, Snc., of the truck, and a longitudinal elevation of the vtruck-guard with its "attachments Figs. 1l, l2, and 14 are side elevations ofportions 'of the transoms of the truck and endelevations of thectruck-guard with alternate attachments. Fig. 13 is a'plan of the truck-guard and its attachments; and

Fig. l5 shows alternative sections of ,the elecrespectively. W V are the vweb members of the girders. S B is the bracket or cantilever, and b 1' its connections with the web of the girders. T is the track-rail, and E is an elastic block or wooden Stringer, placed underneath the rail.. f

The form of the girders, and the luanner of supporting the same,is not an essential part of myinvention. Therefore I may 'use anyknown form of girder or truss applicable to my system, and these girders or trusses may be supported by any available form of pier, post, pivot, or abutment, or may rest upon transverse girders, which'are in turn supported upon posts or piers.

ICO

For example, in Fig. 1 I have shown a pair A' angle-iron flanges A A', and flange-plates P P', the top plate, P, extending from one girder to the other, connecting the two and forming an open box-girder.

In Figs. 3 and 4, which represent the structure as adapted to a light-weight railway of the narrow or threef`oot gage operated by electricity, I have used open-web girders, connecting the top flanges or chords by a lateralbracing of angle-irons and-latticc-bars, instead of by a plate, as in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown an alternative form of the structure, in which wood enters largelyinto the construction. Here the chords and web verticals of the trusses, together with the transverse brackets, areot' wood. The web ties or diagonals, the track and guard rails, and connecting-bolts are iron or steel.

In Fig. 1 the track-rail T is designed with a deep T-rail or inverted deck-beam section, so that it shall act as a beam or Stringer, carrying and supporting the weight of the wheels between the brackets. Between the rail and the bracket is placed the block E, of wood, rubber, or of a combination of elastic and nonresonant materials, the construction and composition of which is not a part of this invention.l

In Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 a shallow rail is shown supported upon a wooden Stringer, which sus tains the greater part of the weight of the wheels and supplies an elastic bearing.

As I do not claim the specific form and material of the track rail and ,Stringer as a part of my invention, it is evident that I may use any known available shape orsubstance applicable to my purpose. For example, the rail may have the shape of a bridge or street rail, or may be compound. It may be identical with the Stringer, as in Fig. 1, or consist of a separate member, as in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

To connect the rails or stringers with the brackets,I use the bolts m u. These bolts may have hookshaped heads above, or may pass through lipped washers. rthey may clasp the rail at their upper ends, or have heads countersunk in the rail or Stringer. I also use a lateral bolt and spacer, t s, to connect the rail or Stringer with the web of the girder, thus preserving the gage. The form, position, and number of' these bolts may be varied according to circumstances, as desired.

The bracket or cantilever which is used to support the track should consist of two parts or members-viz., an upper member or shelf, S, having ahorizontal upper surface to receive the rail or Stringer, and alower member, brace, or strut, B,which may have its principal plane vertical or slightly inclined, andat right angles to the plane ofthe girders. One or both of the members of this bracket should be connected with the web or web member of the girder by bolts or rivets. This bracket or cantilever may be constructed in different ways. In Fig.

1 it is formed by bending out the upper por# tion of one of the web verticals or stiffeners of the plate-girder into a horizontal position to form the shelf, and uniting thereto the vertical plate B, which may be bent at the top into a horizontal plane, thus forming an extension of the shelf S. The brace-plate B is firmly united to the bent-webstitfener by means of rivets.

, In the construction shown by Figs. 3 and 4 the shelf is identical with the upper flange of a transversely-placed channel shape, whose web forms the brace B, and is riveted to the web verticals.

In the structure shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the shelf consists of two horizontal scantlings or joists, the brace being a piece of wood bolted between thejoists, and toed into and bolted to the web vertical V.

In order to stiften the web me1nbers,and prevent a transverse bending strain, which might be caused by the action of a load upon the brackets, Iconnect them by an internal lateral bracing, L, which may be a prolongation or extension of one or both members ofthe brackets, or a separate piece or combination ofparts. While this connection and the other internal connections, L L l, are essential to the unity and stability of the structure,and should never be entirely omitted, their form and number will depend upon circumstances, and may be varied.

It is evident that if' Varren or triangular girders are used, having no vertical web members, the brackets and connecting-bracing may be attached to the inclined web-struts. In order to do this effectively, the web members should not depart more than thirty degrees from the vertical.

By reference to Figs. 1 andB it, will be apparent that the outer edge of the upper flange of the girder is very near to the inner edge or flange of a wheel running upon the rail, and that this proximity would in itself tend to prevent derailment. In order, however, to obtain the greatest possible amount of security in exceptional caseswsuch as the breakage of a wheel or axle, or the action of a powerful wind at right angles to the structure and train, or a collision of trains-I have devised a special guard for the structure, and for the truck, which, acting in co-operatiou with one another,will confine the trucks to the structure,

and prevent derailment or overturning. l

The guard upon the structure G will consist in all cases of a rolled Shape of iron or steel having a horizontal outwardly projecting ange, and attached to the girder so as to be somewhat above the upper surface,and on the inner side of the track-rail. It may consist entirely of the upper flange ofthe girder itself when the girder has a suitably-shaped upper flange or chord, as in Figs. 3 and/1, or it may consist partially or wholly of a separate shape, either attached directly to the upper chords ofthe girders, as in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, or raised above them by vstandards or Supports, as in Figs. 7, 8, and 9.

The guard upon the truck g consists of' a double-anged shape of rolled or forged iron orsteel, the upper flange of which is attached to the principal cross-beams or transoms of ICD los

l the trucks, while the lower flange is gaged s as tol be below the horizontal flange of the. .guard-rail Gr.

' this is not a suitable member for the attachment of the guard, I have invented -a special construction and arrangement of the bolster,

bolster-springs. spring plank or tie, and springhanger, with the -transoms and side frames of the truck,I by which the lower surfaces of the transoms are brought below the level of the other transverse members of the-truck,and the springs and spring-hangers are spaced further apart laterally than usual, so as not to intefere with the guard;

I use'fo'rthe upperl memberor chord ot the -side frames an angle shape, 4, having one ,flange horizontal and above, having the other flange verticaland on the outside, placing the the level of their lower surfaces.'

holsters 3 belowthe upper ange of the angle and extending laterally beneath it. I use for the bolster 3 a channel shape laid dat, with its Yweb uppermost, and trussed by Hat bars riveted to it, and for the spring-bearer or springtie 6a channel'shape laid dat, with its'web l'owerxnost, placed between the transoms above v I use channel-.shaped transoms 2, placing the springhangers between them with their upper eyes hung upon a pin passing through the webs of the transoms.

The guard g may be riveted to the lower snrfaces of the transoms, and to braces or knees k, orit may be connected with the transoms or knees, or both, by'y means of bolts passing through spring-washers t z, which by their elasticity will relieve the shock caused by the truck-guard being brought suddenly and violently into contact with the guard-rail on the structure. I also propose in most cases to rivet to the upper iiangeof the guard g a bent plate or channel-shaped stop or catch, c,which will transfer a part ot the longitudinal strain n caused by friction of the truck-guard upon the guard-rail to the transoms, and relieve the shearing strain on the connecting rivets or bol/ts.

The anged truck-guard g is designed so as -to partially inclose, but not usually to touch,

the guard-rail upon the structure, the two guardsbeing brought into actual contact only in cases of 'incipient derailment or overturning. To this end'the guard g is so l'orlned and spaces between it and the guard-rail G, greater than the usual. lateral or vertical motion o r diierence in position of the transoms of the trucks, caused bythe lateral play of the wheels andaxles, or by the vertical play of the springs, or by differences in the diameters-of the wheels and height-of yrails caused by original irregularities, wear, Ste. Nevertheless, the truckguard and guard-rail arein such ,proximity to 'one another that no unusual or dangerous y amount `of vertical or lateral motion can ever occur without the truck-guard being brought into contact with the guard-rail, and preventing further vertical or lateral motion, as well as acting by friction to brake or check the longitudinal motion of the car and train, and for these purposes it is designed and arranged.

Its ordinary function is potential, rather than actual, and itis never, except in accidents, subject to friction or wear.

It is evident that in cars or locomotives not provided with bogie-trucks the guard g may be attached to a cross beam or frame situated near and parallel to the axles, and attached and braced to the bottom of the car, or to the side frames of the locomotive. It is also evident that a truck and truck-guard, as herein described, may be used in combination with angle or special shapes of rolled iron or steel, supported upon 'standards or braces attached .to the cross-ties of an ordinary elevated railway or bridge superstructure' or truck, or attached to the top lateral connection of girders placed directly beneath the rails, and supporting the rails upon their upper chords.

While I do not specifically claim such combinations, or the method of eecting them, as'

apart of the presentinvention, I consider them as novel, and may wish to make them the subject of a .future application for Letters Patent.

It is evident that the superstructure herein described may be used for a track having a greater or less degree of lateral curvature by curving the girders4 laterally so as to be parallel to the track-rails. curvature, having a middle ordinate of three inches or less in the length of a girder, it may not be necessary to curve the girders, but only the track and guard rails, which latter-members should in this case be so attached as to permit a lateral 4variation ot' distance from the axis of the girder.

In a turnout from the main track of a rail-- yway constructed on myksystem, or at a crossing or junction of intersecting tracks, it will be' necessary to vary the method of construction slightly, in order to allow a part of`the rails and wheels to crossthe girders and guardrails.

shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. In this case the upper chords of the girders are placed below the level of the base of the track-rails asshown in Figs. 8 and 9. One ofthe girders is curved laterally, parallel to the curved inner rail ot' the turnout, which rail and one of the main track-rails are carried upon transverse brackets attached to the webs of the girders. The other rails are carried over and supported on the tops of. the girders, and 011 t-he transverse lateral connections and bracing L L', &c. An intermediate beam or girder, F, may be introduced beneath the frog f, extending a greater or less distance longitudinally on either side of it. The guard-rails G are supported upon This variation isillustrated by the form of construction used at a simple turnout, as'.

In curves of slight standards or braces u, Figs. 8 and 9, so as to raise them above the 'tops of the track-rails. Some of them are curved laterally, so as to be parallel with the turnout-rails, and are cut oft` or discontinued for a short distance, near the frog fand switch-points pp', so4 as to allow the wheels to pass through. It is evident that the spaces caused by the breaks in the guardrails may be filled by short rails hinged or pivoted at one end, and moved at the other end laterally, like the switch-points, being operated by mechanism controlled by the sanne lever that is used to throw the switch.

In order to operate the railway herein dcscribed by electrodynamic motors actuated by a current conveyed along the line, itrwill be necessary to provide a suitable conductor or conductors for the transmission ot' the electric current. This might be done by insulating the track-rails and using them as conductors for currents, contact being made with the girders to ground the current. As, however, there are practical difficulties in the way of insulating trackrails, and at the same time connecting them securelywith the structure, I consider it better to apply a special conduetor of iron or other ymetal to the top of the girders. As the space between the under side rof the transoms of the trucks and top of the girders is quite limited, the'conducter must be designed to occupy as little space vertically as possible. It must also be of such shape as to allow ofeonnections at itsjoints having a sectional area nearly equal to its own, and situated so as not to obstruct the passage over it of a contact-wheel,brush,or spring. A conductor shaped like a laterally elongated bridge or Barlow rail, or of crescent form, with the convex side uppermost, will accomplish these ends. The conductor is attached'to the top or top lateral connections of the girder orgirders, either in the middle or near to one side, by bolts passing through circular shaped washers ofa non-conducting material,having an aunular groove to receive the lip or edge ot the conductor. The conductors are to be connectad at their joints by a metal plate, filling the space beneath them, and attached to them by )olts or rivets countersunk on top. Theforms md application of the conductors and insula- ;ors are sh own by Figs. 15, 3, and 4.

I do not claim, broadly, as my invention he position of the track-rails on the outside f and below the top of a longitudinal girder r girders; neither' do I claim, generally, the lse of brackets projecting laterally from the irder or girders and supportingthe rails; nor, n general, a method of preventing derailment .ependent upon the use of the girders as uards, or by means of guards or guides situted inside of and above the level ofthe rails, r by the use of a hooked guard or anged atichment to a car or car-truck acting in comination with a guard-rail on or attached to ie girders.

What I do claim as my invention, and dereto secure by Letters Patent of the United tatcs, is-

l. A longitudinal superstructure or permaant way for an elevated railway consisting trusses, the position and relation of the principal parts of the structure being substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In combination with the longitudinal gird er or girders of an elevated-railway superstructure, cantilevers or brackets attached to and projecting transversely from the web or. web members of the girder or girders, each bracket consisting of an upperhorizontalmember or shelf, S, receiving a longitudinal track stringeror rail, and a lower verticalk or inclined member, strut, or brace, B, re-enforcing the upper member or shelf, S, the position of the backets with reference to the girders and rails being subs* and described. v

3. In combination with the longitudinal girders A VW A and transverse brackets S B, of an elevated-railway superstructure, the` transverse or lateral connections and internal tially as herein shown bracing L L L Z uniting the girders and brackets, substantiall y as and for the purposes' set forth.

4. In combination with a pair ot' Banged plates or guards attached to the transverse beams ot a car or locomotive truck, a pair of longitudinal guardrails, G, situated between and above the inner and upper corners of the track-rails and attached to the longitudinal girders, each guard-rail being provided with a iiange projecting outwardlyin proximity to n and above theinwardly-projecting lower ange of the truck-guard g, substantially as vshown and described. A

5. In an `elevated-railway superstructure,

the combination of longitudinal girders A V 1ro W A', transverse cantilevers or brackets S B, track-rails T, elastic l" wcks or stringers E, lateral bracing L L L" l, guard-rails G, and connections m n s t b. r, 85e., substantially as and for the purposes set forth. y

6. In a truck for an elevated-railway superstructure as herein described, the combination of the wheels l,principal transverse beams ortransoms 2, bolster' 3, side frames, 4, springhangers 5, springtie 6, and flangedl guard g, 12o

arranged substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified. a

7. In combination with stationary longitudinal guard-rails situated between and above the level of the track-rails and attached to the longitudinal girders `of an elevated-railway`superstructure, a pair of truck-guards, each consisting of a flanged plate or shape of iron or steel attached, as described, to the transverse beams` or frames of a car or loco- 13o motive truck, so as to move longitudinally with the motion of the truck in proximityto but not ordinarily in contact with the guardrail on the structure, substantially as set forth. i

8. The combination of `the anged truckguard g, knees or braces 7c, and transoms of the trucks 2, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, substantially as and for 5 the'purposes set forth, with the transoms of the trucks 2, of the truck-guard g, knees or braces 7c, stop or -catch e, and bolts passing through spring-washers v z.

10. In a turnout or crossing of elevated-rail- Io way tracks carried upon the superstructure herein described, the combination, with the supporting-girders, transverse brackets, and

lateral connections, of the main track-rails T, turnout or crossing rails T', guard-rails G, and standards or braces u, supporting the guard- 15 rails, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD S. SHAW. Witnesses:

E. A. W. HAMMATT, FRANK E. SHEDD. 

